Calling device



Sept. 7, 1948. F. E. WOQD ETAL 2,448,647

CALLING DEVICE Filed 001'.. 30, 1946 Y l VENTOR. FREDRIG V OOD FRED GIENG R ERIK DECKER ROBERT L. SRGISSON ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1948 cALLiNoDEvIcn Fredric E. Wood, McHenry, Fred Gienger, Highland Park, Erik Decker, Chicago, and Robert L. Sargsson, Berwyn, Ill., assignors to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Ill.,

' -a corporation of Delaware Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,608

5 Claims. (Cl. 179-90) The present -invention relates 'Ito calling devices of the impulse transmitting type' andmore par- -ticularly to improvements in calling devices of the character disclosed in U. S. Patent No.1`,642, 822, Herbert F. -ObergfelL granted September 20, 192'7.

The calling ldevice disclosed in :the Obergfell patent mentioned comprises, among `other el'ements, :a substantially cup-shaped casing carrying certain other rparts including lugs, tabs yand brackets on the bottom thereof; to which other elements, including a set of impulse spring contacts, a set of cam spring contacts, a speed governor, etc.,` are secured in position' below the casing. This cup-shaped lcasing` supports Iother various ymechanisms of -t'he device, including the usual linger hold dial, the usual numberl plate, and the ratchet and pawl 4mechanism for controlling the impulse spring contacts through suitable gearing. The linger whole 4dilal and the ratchet and lpaw] mechanism are rotatably mounted in a -hub which is staked to the cupshaped easing.

While the construction of this calling device is entirely satisfactory inservice and exceedingly stron-g and durable, it was more expensive to Imanufacture and required considerable time Ito assemble. Accordingly, a latter improvement used an improved die-cast casing 'orf zinc base lalljoy to replace the cup-shaped casing, which included all necessary openings, lugs, tabs and brackets formed integrally therewith duringA the "die-casting opera-tion in order to eliminate certain machine operations required to lassemble the device.

At rst the hub was staked'to the cast cupresulted in breakage and looseningy of lthe hub after the calling devices @were put into use.`

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved calling device which is of simple and rugged construction, which may be readily assembled in a minimum `amount of time, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable.

Another object orf :the invention is to provide a calling device of the type noted comprising an improved die-cast casing having the necessary lugs, tabs, brackets and openings formed in.- tegrally therewith during the die-casting operation in combination withan improved rin-gstaked Iclamping arrangement whereby the softdie cast casing is rigidly held .between two `hard- CII ` Fig. 4,

metal pieces, namely the driving spring tension` plate and thenumber plate spring; the number plate spring being assembled on one sideof the casing, the driving spring ten-sion plate 'being assembled on the other side of the casing, the

hub being inserted through holes in the number` Iplate spring, and the casing, and .forced-lit through a shoulder of the driving spring tension :plat-e after Iwliiol'i the hub :is ring-staked t-o the driving spring tension plateto securely andcomes the breakage trouble ofthe 4de-ca-stcasing and the yloosening Iof the hub as previously mentioned.` Q I i The 'inventionis illustrated in the` accompanying drawings comprising Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, wherein; i Y

Fig. 1 fis a dronlt View, partly broken away, of a calling device embodying the lpresent invention,

Fig, 2 is a rea-r view of the calling device shown in Fig. l, Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line A-A ot' Fig. 4 isa top View part-s removed, f

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section view showing the .method of assembling the hub, casing, number :plate spring and the driving spring tension lplate, l i l Fig. 6 is a cross section of the hub before the ring-staking operation. i

Referring now more 'particularly to Figs; 1 to 4,`

inclusive, -o-f the drawings, the calling- `device I0 shown is of the nge-r wheel controlled impulse transmitting type and yof the general construction and arrangement of the `calling device disclosed in the previously `mentioned Obergfell patent.

The ca-llin'g'device I0I comprises a substantially. cup-shaped casing ll which is formed by a con veritional die-casting operation of a relatively soft Zinc 'base alloy, a number 'lplate l2 secured 1n the open end lof casing H by the curved ends 28 and 29 of the number plate spring 21 andmech-Y of the easing .with @mais the bottom of casing l I 'by an arrangement comprising two aligning pins i8 xed to the base and projecting through lopen-ings in :the casin-g Il and by two `screws I9 `extending through capenings in `casing Il and :which are secured by the nuts Eil resting in counter depressions in casing II. This arrangementl of the aligning pins I8, the screws i9 and the nuts 20 is necessitated in view orf fthe lfact that the zinc base alloy of =cas ing II is so soft that it is not desirable that it be threaded to receive directly the threaded ends oif screws I9.

The mechanism housed in casing II comprises; in addition to the operating shaft previously mentioned, an impulsing shaft 2i? andlfoneeway4 drive mechanism between the operating and 1m-` pulsing shaits. The inner ends-oi these. shafts. project through openings provided in the casing II A fixture 33 is secured to the end ofthe op erating shaft for operating the shunt and impulsing contact springs and al cam 3e is secured tovthe impulsi-ng shaft in a manner similar to that shown in the Osergfell patent. A drivingspring, one endof which is shown at 25, Fig. 2, surroundsithey operating shaft and extends between lthe fixture 33 andthe driving spring tension-plate 24` which has lugs, such as lug 26, for holding@ one end` of the driving spring. A sec' tion ci the impulsing shaft extends through an opening-in a bracketl 23 formed integrally with c casing I-I'.

The impulsing shaft carries a worm gear which meshes with worm gear of the usual speed governor. Onel end of the speed governor shaft is --journaledin a bearing which is supported by a tab 35 integrally formed with the bracket 23: and theI eas-ingv III, while the other end of the governorshait is supported in a bearing in a tab 2I which is also integrally formed with casing II.

Also. formed :integrally with casing II is the structure 22 upon which are mounted the usual shuntfand impulsing spring contacts of the calling device.

In-view ofthe foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of casing II, it-will bennderstood that the bracket 23, the tabs 2I and 35 and the structure 22 are formed integrally therewith incident to the die casting operation andthatv the necessary openings for thepins I8, screws I3, the counter recesses for nuts 20, as well as the openings for the respective shafts are allformed during the die-casting operation so that no subsequent machine operations are requiredto'vcomplete the casing II.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 to 6, inclusiva'the manner in which the casing li isfirml'y clamped between two hard metal pieces vvill'bev explained' in detail. The number plate retaining springl 2l isplaced in the cup portion of: the casing and the driving spring tension pl'ate 2t is placed on the outside of casing I I with thelugs 3D and 3l extending through hole-s provided V-in thecasing iI` and the number plate spring 2l after which the lugs 38 and 3i are bent over in the position shown to assemble these members together. The portion 44 of hub Mllis then forced-fit into the shoulder 32 of the driving spring tension plate 24 until the shoulder li-'abats` against the number plateA spring 2l aiiterl which the portion 42 of the hubt is ringestaked, as shown vin Fig. 51, to form a ring i3 aroundthe shoulder E52 to securely clamp the hubftlhspring 2l, casing l I, and plate 24 together. The plate Mis made from cold rolled steel and th'ezspring 2.1 from sheet steel thereby formingV l removedg the dial returns to normal.

two hard metals for clamping the relatively soft cast zinc alloy casing I l Without danger of breakage, either during the staking operation or dursubsequent use.

The operation of the calling device I0 is the same asl that described for the previously mentioned Obergfell patent and need not therefore be described in detail. The finger of the user isrst inserted into one of the holes I4 after whichthe finger hole dial is rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the finger engages the finger stop I6 after which, when the nger is During the initial measured movement of the dial the extensions'in the. member 33 permit the closure ofthe shunt spring contacts and the movement ofthe. impulse springcontacts to a position preparatory to operation by the impulse cam 34. Duringithe return tc normal, the impulse cam is rotated under control of the tensioned drive springfti and speedy governorto separate the impulse spring. contacts a number of times correspending .tothe digit dialled. When vthe operating: sha-it reaches its=normal position the member 33; separates the lshunt spring contacts and moves the impulse spring contacts out of range of-'the impulse cam.

The Vvarious featuresA and, advantages of I the inventionhaving been described and ascertained, what is.-considered new and is desired to have protectedfby; Letters Patent will be pointed out inthe following claims.`

What isl claimed is:

l. In an impulse: sending device, a die-cast casing, a numbervplate, a number plate spring having-bentover ends for holdingsaid number platev on said casing',l a driving spring for transmitting motion, a drivingspring tension plate having lugs'for holding saiddriving spring; ears onsaidndriving spring tension plate extending throughl holes'linr said casingand said number plate spring for assembling said number plate spring, said casing and said driving spring tension..V plate; a huby extending throughfa hole` in saidi number plate spring, a hole in said casing and a hole in said driving spring tension plate; said driving spring tension plate being force-fit onA said hub, Aa shoulder on said hub abutting against said-,number plate spring, and a ringstakepressedfrom said hub against said driving spriuigv tension plate to firmly'clamp said casing between` said spring tension plate and said numbervplate spring.

2. In `an impulse sending device, a die-cast casing of relatively soft zinc alloy, openings and mountingA means integrally formed with said cas- -ing during Ithe casting operation to form a complete structureready -for assembly, a. number plate, a number plate springy of relatively hard metal. for holding said number plate in place on said'cas-ing, a driving spring for transmitting motion, a driving spring tension plate of relatively hard metal having lugs for holding said driving spring, a hub extending through the openings insaid number plate spring and said casing and forced-fit through an opening in said driving spring tension plate, and a ring-stake pressed from saidhub against said driving spring tension plate to firmly clamp said casing between said driving springA tension plate and said number plate spring.

3. Acalling device of the impulse transmitting type' comprisingv a die-cast casing havinga substantially cup-shaped configuration, a number plate, ,a5` number plate spring for holding the number plate in place on said casing, a driving spring for transmitting motion, a driving spring tension plate having lugs for holding said driving spring; a hub extending through a hole in said number plate spring, a hole in said casing and a hole in said driving spring tension plate: said driving spring tension plate being forcefit on said hub, a shoulder on said hub abutting against said number plate spring, and a ringstake pressed from said hub against said driving spring tension p-late to rmly clamp said casing between said spring tension plate and said number plate spring.

4. In an impulse sen-ding device, a die-cast casing, an impulse shaft, an operating shaft, a bracket cast-formed integrally with said casing `for mounting said impulse shaft, a speed governor for controlling the rotation speed of said impulse shaft, tabs castformed integrally with said bracket and casing for mounting said speed governor, impulsing spring contacts and cam spring contacts, means cast-formed integrally with said casing for mounting said impulse spring contacts and said shunt spring contacts, a number plate, a number plate spring having benti over ends for holding said number plate on said casing, a driving spring for transmitting motion to said operating shaft, a driving spring tension plate having lugs for holding said driving spring, ears on said driving spring tension plate extending through holes in said casing and holes in said number plate spring for assembling said number plate spring, said casing and said drving spring tension plate; a hub for mounting said operating shaft, said hub extending through a hole in said number plate spring, a hole in said casing and a hole in said driving spring tension plate; said hub being forced-fit in said driving spring tension plate, a shoulder on said hub abutting against said number plate spring, and a ring-stake pressed from said hub against said driving spring tension plate to firmly .clamp said casing between said driving spring tension plate and said number plate spring.

5. In an impulse sender, a cup-shaped casing, a finger-hole dial plate, a driving shaft, means including said shaft for rotatably mounting said dial plate kon said casing, a number plate, a number plate retaining spring for holding said number plate on said casing below said dial plate, a driving spring for rotating said dial plate, a driving spring tension plate for holding said driving spring, means for assembling said casing between said number -plate retaining spring and said driving spring tension plate, a hub for said shaft extendingthrough an opening in said number plate retaining spring, through an opening in said casing and forced-fit into an opening in said driving spring tension plate, and a ring-stake pressed from said hub against said driving spring tension plate to securely clamp said casing between said driving spring tension plate and said number plate retaining spring.

FREDRIC E. WOOD. FRED GIENGER.

ERIK DECKER. ROBERT L. SARGISSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,360,113 Kaisling Nov. 23, 1920 1,642,822 Obergfell Sept. 20, 1927 1,954,515 Blanc Apr. 10, 1934 

